Washing-machine



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WHIDGSSQS UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

SAMUEL A. SEAT, OF HEMATITE, MISSOURI.

WASHING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,657, dated March 21, 1893. Application iiled September 24, 1892. Serial No. 446,816. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. SEAT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hematite, in the county of Jefferson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Washing-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in washing machines.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of washing machines and to enable clothes being washed to be thoroughly rubbed over a wash-board in a manner similar to ordinary hand washing, and to enable the clothes to be partially wrung at the end of the stroke of the oscillating rubber to force through the clothes and out of them, and thereby remove the dirt and stains.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings--Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine constructed in accordance with this invention,the coverbeing supported by the handle of the oscillating rubber or agitator to hold the latter into position for draining clothes previous to their removal. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the oscillating rubber or agitator.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates an approximately quadrantshaped washing machine body supported by oppositely inclined legs 2 and 3, and being slightly extended at its bottom in a rearward direction and at its top and front in an upward direction. The washing machine body consists of sides 4, a back 5 and acontinuous front and bottom 6. The sides and back are preferably constructed of wood, and the bottom and front is constructed of sheet metal, and is offset at the front to provide a space which receives a wash-board 7 having its corrugated rubbing surface curved and forming a continuation of the curved bottom in rear of the offset 8. The particular shape of the bodythrows the water to the rear and enables a very small quantity to be employed in the operation of washing. The clothes to be washed are moved over the rubbing surface of the wash-board by an oscillating rubber or agitator 9 which is hinged to the back of the body near the top thereof, and is provided with a handle 10 having a stem 11 extending through a slot 12 in the cover 13 of the body and adapted to be oscillated. The agitator consists of an approximately rectanguar metal frame 14 composed of opposite sides and a transverse portion connecting the upper ends of the sides, and having the said stern 11 extending upward from it. The transverse portion is hinged in eyes 15 of plates 16 which are detachably secured by bolts 17 to the inner face of the back of the washing machine body to enable the agitator to be readily removed from the washing machine body. The lower ends of the sides of the frame of the agitator are connected by transverse bars 1S and 19, and the latter is provided with an outwardly extending flange 20 of a wooden orl metal plate; the clothes being washed or moved over the rubbing surface of the wash-board by the upward stroke of the agitator and fall when they cease to be supported by the agitator when the latter is swinging downward; and the upwardly extending flange 201 serves to catch the clothes and to separate the saine to cause the clothes to be rubbed equally. The smooth portion of the bottom in rear of the offset enables the clothes to be readily started on the upward stroke of the agitator, and at the end of the upward stroke they are squeezed between the agitator and the cover 13 to wring them partially to force the water contained by them through them and out of them, thereby removing dirt and stains. The stem of the handle is provided near its lower end with a bend 22 which enables the stem to clear or avoid striking the upper edge of the back of the body to allow the agitator a full upward stroke. The cover is supported by longitudinally disposed cleats 23 secured to the inner faces of the sides of the body, and it is held against upward movement at its front end by a transverse cleat 24., and at its rear end by a pivoted button 25. The transverse cleat 24 is secured to the inner face of a transversely disposed front board 26, which extends above the cover 13, and is adapted for the attachment of an ordinary ICO lwringer. After the operation of washing has been completed the clothes previous to removal are allowed to drain by elevating the agitator and the latter is retained in an elevated position for this purpose by means of the cover 13 which is adapted to be support-ed by the cleats 23, and the latter are provided with recesses 27 which receive the front edge of the cover; and the back of the cover is supported by a projection 28 of the stem of the agitator. The stem, when the cover is supported by it, rests in the slot, and the projection engages the front of the slot. The water is prevented splashing upward at the end of the down stroke of the agitator, by an outwardly projecting cleat 29 secured to the back of the body. The front of the body bybeing extended upward serves to cause any water draining from the clothes upon the cover during removal, to ow back into the body and not run over the sides upon the door.

l. In a Washing machine, the combination of a body having a curved rubbing surface,

an oscillating agitator hinged to the body and having a stern provided with a projection, the oppositely disposed notched cleats secured to the inner faces of the sides of the body, and a slotted cover receiving the stem in its slot and adapted to engage said notches and projection, substantially as described.

2. A washing machine comprising a body and the oscillating agitator detachably hinged to the body and consisting of a rectangular frame, the transverse bars connecting the lower ends of the sides of the frame, the plate secured to one of the bars and provided with an upwardly extending flange, and a stern eX- tending upward from the frame, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereto affixed my signature -in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL A. SEAT. Witnesses:

WM. H. DoDsoN, R. C. BAGE. 

